Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), used with a novel pyruvate chemical compound that is specially labeled to be read by the MRI machine, is being applied for the first time in humans to study the aggressiveness of prostate cancer in patients and the success of prostate cancer therapies. The chemical compound is energized, then quickly injected into the prostate cancer patient before imaging begins.

The UCSF research project brings together the imaging expertise of mathematician and bioengineer Sarah Nelson, PhD, and the pharmacy and compound formulation expertise of pharmacist Marcus Ferrone, PharmD. Nelson is a faculty member in the Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine. Ferrone is a faculty member in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, UCSF School of Pharmacy.

Related profiles

About the School: The UCSF School of Pharmacy is a premier graduate-level academic organization dedicated to improving health through precise therapeutics. It succeeds through innovative research, by educating PharmD health professional and PhD science students, and by caring for the therapeutics needs of patients while exploring innovative new models of patient care. The School was founded in 1872 as the first pharmacy school in the American west. It is an integral part of UC San Francisco, a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide.